My husband of five years ghosted me on our wedding anniversary celebration just to celebrate his childhood sweetheart, Lesley's birthday.

Instead, Lesley's brother, Deccan, showed up in the party, trying to touch me inappropriately. Thankfully, my brother, Liam, showed up at the right moment and saved me.

The next day, he was hospitalized after being severaly beaten up by Deccan's goons. In rage, I filed a lawsuit against him. However, nothing happened!

All because The Kinleys were too strong to be challenged!

I begged my husband to help me, and he promised he would!

However, on the day of the trial, the judge received new evidence from a witness who did not want to appear in court, which showed Liam fitting a camera inside Lesley's bathroom.

The evidence claimed Liam was trying to molest Lesley and after being caught up by Deccan, he defamed him. My brother was sentenced to prison instead.

That evening, as I returned home, heartbroken, looking at the meal Julian had lovingly prepared, thinking it was for our anniversary, I heard his voice from the balcony.

"Leslie, the case is closed. It's all over. The evidence has been presented. No one will ever know it was your brother who tried to molest Laura."

"It's okay if you can't come today. Laura will be home soon, and the meal won't go to waste."

The phone call felt like a bucket of icy water dumped on my head. My blood ran cold. Every word he said was like a sharp blade, crushing my last hope.

***

I stood frozen in the doorway, a file containing the medical reports of my brother who was severely injured yet he had to be dragged into the prison, fell off the floor.

The abrupt sound drew Julian's attention at me. He looked at me with an expression that seemed more like of guilt, which soon disappeared as he walked up to me.

“The evidence against your brother was strong, darling. There was nothing that we could do," He had said, his voice calm, as if he were discussing the weather.

“He tried to defame Deccan after being caught. It’s a fact. I know you loved him, but you must accept the truth.”

He was completely unaware that I had overheard his conversation with Leslie.

"No," I felt a surge of nausea, the word a fragile defense against his accusation. "No, he didn't. He couldn't have."

"I have proof, Laura. I saw it myself," he said, pulling a flash drive from his pocket. "See how he is fitting the camera in Lesley's bathroom. It's a shame, but it’s the truth."

"How did you get this?"

"Were it you... Who submitted the forged evidence?"

I snatched the USB drive from him with trembling hands and asked in disbelief.

Julian's face reddened, a feign rage in his eyes as he asked, "Laura, what's wrong with you? How could you put such a vile accusation on me?"

"You have turned so blind in your brother's love that you can't differentiate right from the wrong."

My blood ran cold on his response. I wondered how perfect he had been in lying that not even his eyebrows furrowed saying all this to me.

"What about me, Julian?" My voice trembling in rage, "He... He tried to touch my private parts. Do you think I'm lying to you?"

Julian’s face sank. He replied, his voice cold."Deccan was drunk, Laura. He did not intend it."

"Did not intend it?" I snapped back, "And the goons he sent after my brother, and the fake charges they put against my brother. Did they not intend it as well?"

"Stop dragging this matter too far, Laura." He said, his voice turning cold with little to no remorse.

"Lesley is already feeling guilty for you. She has invited you over dinner tomorrow. As long as you come with me to meet Lesley, apologize to her brother and withdraw the lawsuit against him, your brother will soon be released from the prison."

"Lesley is a kind woman, Laura. You shouldn't hold grudges against her."

Just then his phone rang. Lesley's name popped up on the screen with a heart emoji and a soft smile automatically appeared on his lips. The kind of smile I wished to see on his face because of me. But, it never happened.

Be it my surprise gifts to him or preparing his favourite dishes at midnght to satisfy his night cravings. He never smiled at me. I always wondered if he had so much work load that he had forgotten to smile.

But, the truth was before my eyes now. He could smile! Just not at me.

He immediately grabbed the phone, walked into his study room and shut the door behind his back.

Before walking out, he had shot a glance over the dinning table and told me as a reminder, "I have prepared dinner to lighten your mood. Eat it before it gets cooled."

I stared the carefully prepared dinner, each dishes were cooked according to Lesley's preference.

A sarcastic smile appeared on my lips, cutting deep through my heart. His words still echoed in my head.

The man I had loved and trusted for years had not only betrayed me but had actively participated in my brother’s destruction.

I was finding it difficult to stand by after listening to everything. I wanted to go insde and confront him directly but sddenly my phone rang.

It was a jailor. His voice was urgent." Mrs Williams... your brother... he fainted."

I immediately stumbled out of the house, the rain-slicked streets a blur of lights and colors. I ran to the police station. My heart clenched seeing my brother whole body soaked in blood.

"L-Liam!" My voice trembled, "Who did this to you?"

"I-I'm fine, Laura." He barely managed to speak. But, I could see, he was not. Kinleys must have bribed the officials to bully my brother.

"Don't worry, brother." My voce choked, "I'll soon take you out from it, and I promise those who are responsible for this, will suffer a worst fate!"

I had only a brother in my family, who was now a hollowed-out ruin.

I came out of the police station and stood in the rain, the cold drops washing away the last traces of my past life.

My love for Julian, once a vibrant flame, was now nothing but a pile of cold ash. I looked at the rain, and I knew what I had to do.

I then dialed a number. Julian's rival.

"You want the secret information of Julian's company? An information that can destroy him completely? I have them all." I said, my voice firm.

"What do you want from me?" A deep male voice sounded from the other end, excited.

"An evidence that can prove my brother's innocence." I replied.

"Give me two weeks and consider it done!"

Magus Cooper was my childhood best friend, a rock against all the storms in my life. But, I had cut all the ties with him once I got married to Julian.

Reason– Julian did not approve me meeting my male friends and I took all his wishes as a command, a fool in love. Meanwhile, he continued meeting his childhood sweetheart in the name of family gatherings.

Five years, no contacts. Still, he assured me he would help my brother. Once the words escaped through his lips, I knew even if the world collapsed, he would fulfill his promise.

I finally took a sigh of relief as I hung up the call and came back home. I peeked through the door. Julian was sleeping soundly, embracing the red muffler through his heart– a gift from Lesley.

My heart ached seeing how much he longed for his beloved despite sleeping by my side.

However, I did not mourn for my failed marriage this time. I simply closed the door and walked up to his study room.

Hurriedly, I typed my birthdate to open his computer. But, red mark popping on the screen mocked me, showing mirror to my husband's betrayal. But, there was no time for self-pity.

I grabbed my phone, scanned Lesley's information from her social media account. Then, I typed her pet name as passcode.

It worked!

Even her pet had great value in Julian's heart than me!

It wasn't the only shock waiting for me.

Once I opened his private file, I was stunned.

He had transferred his all property in Lesley's name, even those we had bought with my parents' funds.

I clutched the mouse in my hands tightly and immediately copied all the necessary information about his company, along with the evidence of his illegal transfer of my property to Lesley.

I was going take every penny back from Julian after divorcing him. That's the last thing I need to do after securing my brother's innocence. I won't let him enjoy the fortune with his mistress that my parents had left.

With that, I shut the computer off and came out.

***

The next day, Julian insist on taking me to meet Lesley– to apologise on my brother's behalf.

"You want me to apologise those people who have framed my brother?" I yelled. "On your dreams, Julian!"

"My brother is innocent. I will never apologize for something he hasn't done. Instead, I'll reopen the case. I will not stop until I see Deccan behind the cell."

Julian's face hardened. "We talked about this yesterday, didn't we?"

"I never agreed to you." I replied.

"If you don't apologize on your brother's behalf, then watch him get raped by these men! He loves men so much anyway!" As he spoke, he pulled up a video on his phone and shoved it towards me.

It showed my brother naked, surrounded by a group of burly men, with unopened condoms by the bed.

The video he shoved into my face, the raw, undeniable visual of my younger brother's terror, ripped the breath from my lungs.

I didn't scream. I didn't even cry. I simply froze, a block of ice where my heart used to be.

Liam, my baby brother, was being molested just because he had protected me the other day. My heart was ripping apart watching the video played before my eyes.

"Wh-Why are you doing this to me, Julian?" I asked, my voice trembling with rage and hurt.

His voice quickly softened as he pulled me into his arms.

"Are you mad, darling? Why would I do that to you? It's Deccan."

"That's why I'm telling you to come with me to meet Lesley and Deccan. Let's make up everything and solve the matter, alright?"

I looked up to meet his gaze, my sight blurred with tears as I asked, "What if I still don't come with you, Julian? What if I don't obey? What will happen to my brother then?"

My heart was trembling in my chest as if waiting to hear something terrific, and as expected, Julian's face immediately turned cold. He said.

"These men you just saw, have been in cells for years for being charged of rape and molestation. They have things for young guys, Laura. You won't be liking them to share bed with Liam every night, do you?"

My eyes were bloodshot, my heart filled with sorrow, and my nails dug deep into my skirt.

This was the man I had foolishly loved for five years, turning a deaf ear to the bad words my brother and Mags had said.

I had asked my brother to sell the house to help Julian, and told him I would help him when he succeeded.

Now, this was Julian repaying my brother. At that moment, I realized how foolish I had been. I fought the urge to slap him hard, controlled my trembling body, and said through gritted teeth,

"Okay! I'll go with you... apologize to Leslie and Deken. Don't bother my brother anymore."

"Come with me to meet the Kinley brothers and sisters. Once they see your sincerity, they'll make your brother's life in prison easier." He replied with a smile, a mask covering his cruel face.

In that moment, the man before me felt incredibly unfamiliar. But for my brother's sake, I had no choice but to endure it for now.

Two weeks. Just two weeks. Once I have evidence to prove my brother's innocence, I can completely get rid of this demon!

After we reached Kinleys' place, Julian completely left my side and stood next to Lesley, hugging her tight as he greeted her.

But, my blood boiled in rage when Deccan stepped closer to me. Pulling me intp his arms in front of Julian, he said, "It's good to see you here, Laura. You are looking as sexy as ever."

"Don't mind Deccan's words, Laura. He is like this always." Lesley had added.

The sight of Deccan, his glare being fixed on my chest, was reminding me of that terrific night when he had forcefully cupped my breast in his palms and was trying to rip my clothes off in front of the whole guests.

Julian and my friends, who were originally only his friends, laughed and made fun of me. No one tried to stop Deccan except my brother.

I hardly managed to break through Deccan's hug while my husband was pulling chair for Lesley to sit on the dinning hall.

After Deccan dragged me to sit beside him in the dinning hall, Lesley continued. "I'm sorry for holding your husband in my birthday's celebration, Laura. He could not attend his anniversary celebration because he was busy making my birthday special."

Her voice was laced with affection, but a smile of mockery spreaded on her lips as she showed the necklace she was wearing, saying, "Thankyou Julian for this special gift. I loved it."

My gaze was fixed at the White Diamond pandent hanging on Lesley's neck. It was Julian's family heirloom. I had insisted him many times to let me wear it.

But, everytime he declined, telling me he would give it to me on some special occasion.

It turned out, he had never thought of giving it to me. The necklace... It always meant for Lesley, his true love.

At this point I just wondered if Lesley's parents hadn't refused to her wedding with Julian, would he really have married to me?

The answer didn't matter anymore. Our marriage... It has already been sued.

The whole dinner was designed to rub salt to my already injured heart. During all this time, Julian kept pestering Lesley to eat more.

"You have lost so much weight, Lesley. You should eat more."

"It's your favourite dish, isn't it? Let me feed you with my own hands."

"There is something on your lips... Come, let me wipe it for you."

There was a time when he leaned too close to Lesley to wipe off her lips that it almost looked like they were kissing. Meanwhile, I remained still on my chair, watching as the whole scene was being unfolded.

When the dinner finally came to an end, Deccan announced. "Let's come to the point, guys."

Everyone's gaze landed at Deccan. Meanwhile, Julian looked at me and began, "This dinner was Deccan's idea, Laura. He is a big heart person and wants to apologise to you for his misbehaviour."

"Yes, my brother is so sweet and gentle, Laura. He was just drunk that night. He did not intend to hurt you. I hope you don't hold grudges against him and let the matter slide." Lesley added, her hands wrapped around Julian's arms.

Just then Deccan grabbed my hands and pulled me up from my seat and had me sit on his lap as he continued, "Darling, accept my apologizies."

Lesley and Julian only laughed at this. Julian even dared to say, "See how sincere Deccan is, Laura. Just forgive him and withdraw your lawsuit, okay?"

Blood ran cold to my head as Deccan's hand abruptly moved around my waist. I immediately stood up.

"What's this behaviour for?" I yelled.

The laughter abruptly came to an end. Laura's face sank and she looked up at Julian with a pitiful eyes. Julian's face hardened. He turned to me and ask, "Deccan is only apologising to you. Do you have problem with that also?"

"Is this an apology or another excuse of harassing me?" I groaned in anger.

But, instead of asking me why I had reacted so loud, Julian grabbed my hands and dragged me to a corner, "Don't forget your brother is still surrounded by rapists and molesters. If you don't want him to get raped by each one of them, behave yourself."

With that he dragged me back to the dinning hall and said, his voice apologetic. "Laura belongs from a middle class family and is unaware of the high society culture. This is why I don't tag her along quite often."

"She is feeling guilty for her misbehaviour just now and will drink to atone herself."

After throwing out these words, he grabbed a whisky bottle from the centre table and poured all of it inside my mouth.

I choked to death. But, he did not care. He kept pouring the whole drink inside me until the bottle was empty.

"J-Julian..." I whispered, "I can't drink. Doctors have strictly forbidden me and you know that."

"Oh, come on. You won't die." He said carelessly before pouring another bottle of whiskey into my mouth.

He then turned to me and said, "Lesley is going in a late night party, Laura. I can't let her go alone. I'm going to accompany her."

"Leave me at home and you can go wherever you want." I said, my voice distant. My head was spinning. I could not see anything properly because of the drink, let alone travelling back to home.

"We will get late if I drop you first." He replied, his voice devoid of any emotion. My eyes widened in terror as I asked, "Then how am I supposed to go to our home?"

"You don't need to leave, Laura." He replied, "Stay here tonight. Don't worry, you are not alone. Deccan will accompany you."